Locke on the Purpose of Government
All individuals are naturally equal and possess inherent rights that cannot be surrendered. In their natural state, individuals enjoy freedom, yet this freedom is accompanied by uncertainty and insecurity. Governments are instituted to safeguard these rights, not to exercise arbitrary authority. When a government fails to protect life, liberty, or property, it loses its legitimacy. The consent of the governed is the cornerstone of political power, and the preservation of natural rights justifies the establishment of civil government.
—John Locke, Second Treatise on Civil Government, 1690
According to the passage, what is the primary purpose of establishing a government?
To secure the natural rights of individuals, including life, liberty, and property.
To enforce rigid social hierarchies determined by tradition.
To centralize power and limit the freedom of the governed.
To ensure that economic prosperity is prioritized over individual rights.
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